Report of Arogya Sena Uttarakhand Medical Relief Mission June 2013 and thanks giving letter to donors

1. Letter of gratitude and report 4th
July 2013
Arogya Sena's Disaster Medical Team provides medical aid to 10
cut off villages in Uttarkashi region
Arogya Sena's disaster management medical team along with volunteers of Rashtra Seva
Dal (RSD) and Socialist Yuvjan Sabha (SYS) lead by National President Dr Abhijit Vaidya
worked in Uttarakhand from 27th
June till 2nd
July 2013 to provide medical aid to the people
of disaster-hit areas around Uttarkashi. The medical relief work extended by the team was
mainly meant to provide medical aid to local affected villages where medical help had not
reached yet.
The team consisted of following members:
1. Dr Abhijit Vaidya (MD, IPT-Cardiology) Cardiologist and Disaster Medicine expert
lead this team. Dr Vaidya is National President of Arogya Sena and SYS. He also is
Managing Trustee of Rashtra Seva Dal
2. Dr Nitin Ketkar (MD) Ultrasonologist and Disaster Medicine expert, Central Committee
Member, Arogya Sena
3. Laxmikant Mundada, National Gen Secretary Arogya Sena. Trained in Disaster
Management
4. Ashish Ajgaonkar, Central Committee Member Arogya Sena. Trained in Disaster
Management
5. Mahendra Waghela Electrical Eng, State Chief, Gujarat Arogya Sena. Trained in
Disaster Management
6. Jabbar Sing, Rashtra Seva Dal worker and journalist (Kandikahl, Uttarakhand)
7. Rajesh Kumar, RSD ( Kandikahl, Uttarakhand)
8. Rajesh , RSD( Dwargad, Uttarakhand)
9. Rosan Lal, RSD ( Melgad, Uttarakhand)
10. Manoj, RSD ( Bhatoli, Uttarakhand)
11. Rajendra Kohli, RSD (Thatud, Uttarakhand)
12. Ratan, RSD ( Khyarshi, Uttarakhand)
13. Shiv Dass , RSD ( Thatud, Uttarakhand)
14. Sher Sing Dogra, RSD (Thatud, Uttarakhand)
15. Vimaladevi, RSD (Thatud, Uttarakhand)
16. Chamandass (Masoorie, Uttarakhand)
This team provided medical aid to around 1050 patients from 10 villages in the
Uttarakashi region. Most of these villages were cut off from the main land as the
approach roads were destroyed by the recent Cloud burst, flash floods and
landslides. Many houses in all these villages and in some cases entire villages were
buried under the rubble. Fortunately there are very few casualties amongst locals

2. since they ran uphill well within time. This team had to walk on foot carrying huge
quantity of medicines on their back, had to climb down hundreds of feet along
slippery mountains and climb back to the roads. Many times narrow walkways on the
mountains ran parallel to ferocious Bhagirathi River flowing at depths of hundreds of
feet. Most of the villagers were suffering from fever, cough, cold, vomiting, loose
motions, bodyaches, minor wounds etc. Arogya Sena’s medical team was the first to
reach these villages.
The team carried many medical equipments like Digital BP apparatus,
glucometers, peak flow meter, pulse oximeter etc. along with 30 categories of
medicines worth Rs 3 lacs.
Arogya Sena has 14000 trained volunteers across 7 states of India and treated
55000 patients with medicines worth 60 lacs in last 19 years during various
disasters till today without any government or international help. Arogya Sena has vast
experience of handling patients in various disasters.
Arogya Sena’s team after visiting this area has analysed the situation and come to the
conclusion that this whole tragedy was not purely natural. There is a large element of
manmade disaster and most of the deaths could have been avoided if Uttarakhand
government had behaved sensibly. Uttarakhand is a very important pilgrimage place for
Hindus and Sikhs but also is very sensitive geographically and environmentally. Whole of
Uttarakhand lacks civic planning, is full of encroachments and illegal structures. Number of
pilgrims, tourists visiting various places is uncontrolled, disproportionately high for that
particular region to be able to handle it safely. Disaster Management planning and disaster
relief machinery is nonexistent. Thousands of people lost their lives because of this and
more than a lac were saved because of Indian Army. Uttarakhand is going to require long
term relief work to restore lives of people from at least 200 villages. Establishing temporary
approach roads, providing food, milk, even drinking water to some villages and medicines
are immediate challenges. Long term challenges are providing houses, relocating some
villages to geographically safer places, providing cattle and restoring farm lands to normal.
Rashtra Seva Dal soon will start long term relief work under guidance of Dr Abhijit Vaidya,
Managing Trustee.
Lions Club Pune District 323-D2 and many well wishers donated generously for these
medicines. Arogya Sena expresses deep gratitude towards all those whose
contributions made this Mission a success.